Employers, the Linksters are coming

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As schools across Canada closed their doors for summer, workplaces opened their doors to thousands of teenagers looking to make some money and start a job history.

By outward appearances, they don't seem much different than their Gen X parents, or even their parents' parents. However, some say Linksters (the generation born after 1995) are radically different from previous generations -- even Gen Ys.

"For Linksters, technology was there when they came onto the scene," explains Meagan Johnson who runs Arizona-based Johnson Training Group with her father, Larry. She explains that Linksters are even more comfortable with technology than Gen Ys-- known affectionately as "the Facebook generation."

But employers who hire Linksters are apt to discover that while they are more technologically savvy, they are perhaps less socially skilled than previous generations, argues Larry. While most teenagers keep their thumbs busy texting pals or sending Facebook messages, he questions their ability to communicate. My perception is that social interaction among Linksters is probably down in quality and up in volume," he says.

Linksters can also struggle with workplace etiquette. The Johnsons say dress code violations are a common complaint of employers. Part of this is simply the folly of youth -- teens are notoriously self-conscious and trend-aware -- but there's also a generational component: "When I worked in retail at that age I'd get in trouble because I didn't wear socks," she says. Often Linksters are exposing far more than ankles.

Linksters also don't learn the way older generations do. Growing up in sync with technology has affected how this generation is intellectually wired, says Larry. "(Baby boomers and Gen X-ers) were lectured to and read books and watched TV. This new generation does most of their learning through interaction, so it's a two-way street," he says.

As a result, Linksters learn very differently at work and how they're trained should reflect this. Handing a Linkster a training manual just doesn't work, says Meagan. "They have no use for it."

But perhaps the most overwhelming consequence of employing this generation are their parents. Gen Y's "helicopter parents" hover over their children as they progress to college and work, but a Linkster's mom or dad is often a "snowplow parent," says Meagan. "They want to remove any obstacle that might be in their child's way."

This might mean calling an employer to complain about their child's hours or inability to take time off when the family plans a vacation, for instance.

There are pros and cons to employing Linksters, as there are with all of the generations, say the Johnsons. At the moment, Linksters are working minimum wage jobs that need to be filled in any economy.

As front-line employees, they also have a lot of contact with a company's customers and may observe things that management can't. A Linkster might notice, for instance, that the coffee bar line gets really long at 8 a.m. because staff are struggling to open bags of coffee, something that could be done in advance. "They come from a different generation and have a different set of eyes," says Larry.

To get the most of Linkster employees, the Johnsons advise managers and supervisors to be extremely direct and literal about expectations. Instead of reminding them that the workplace has a dress code, be specific about what they can and cannot wear -- this isn't always obvious.

"They're young and probably didn't get the same upbringing that boomers got from their traditional parents about the social etiquette of life," says Larry, recalling one client -- the owner of an amusement park -- who had to tell a Linkster employee not to spit in front of customers.

Dealing with Linkster parents requires a more diplomatic strategy. The Johnsons advise employers to simply accept the inevitability of parental involvement.

Start the relationship on a good foot by encouraging Linksters to invite their parents to visit the workplace. The Johnsons would even suggest holding an open house for parents.

"That way, if they're calling and harassing you, you've met them," says Meagan. "It's easier to be rude to someone on the phone when we don't know them."

A parent can also be a supervisor's ally, ensuring that the Linkster goes to work when they may be tempted to spend the weekend with friends, for instance.

The Johnsons advise anyone managing a Linkster to see themselves as a mentor or teacher, and to take the time to get to understand this unique generation.

"The more we understand the generations ... the easier it is to connect with them, train them and the more successful we are selling to them," says Meagan.

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Employers, the Linksters are coming

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